This morning, Auckland Airport plunged into chaos as waves of Coldplay and Pearl Jam fans arrived or departed the city, combined with an out-of-service security scanner, causing significant delays at the domestic terminal.
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Air New Zealand warned that, with high passenger demand, this week could be the busiest of the year for domestic travelers. One passenger described the queue at the airport as “absolute chaos,” with people jumping queues and airport staff “chasing people down from paper lists.” The passenger reported it took nearly an hour to get through security.
Reasons Behind the Chaos at the Airport
According to a spokesperson from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), one security screening lane is temporarily out of service until December 5 to install a new scanning machine, reducing the available capacity to just four lanes. Auckland Airport is also moving a structural pillar to improve space. CAA said it operated four lanes during this morning’s peak hours, but a higher-than-expected number of passengers – partly due to the Coldplay concert – caused delays.
“The queue started forming around 5:55 am and was managed into the holding area by 7:00 am. We’re reviewing CCTV footage to assess the wait times,” a CAA representative said. Additionally, Pearl Jam concerts over the weekend also contributed to the outbound lines this morning.
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“We anticipate similar queue pressures during Coldplay’s concert dates this week and weekend,” CAA added.
Measures to Alleviate Peak Hour Congestion
CAA also collaborated with Auckland Airport and airlines to manage the queue, though some interventions may have inadvertently contributed to delays. The CAA stated the maximum wait time was 21 minutes, and the queue returned to an “acceptable length” just over an hour after it started forming.
“To manage peak demand, we’re opening the fourth lane from 5 am to 7:30 am to increase capacity and reduce queues,” CAA said. “We appreciate passengers’ patience during this time.”
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Coldplay and the Surge in Domestic Travel to New Zealand
Scott Carr, general manager of Air New Zealand’s domestic network, said this week is expected to be the busiest of the year for the airline’s domestic network. “This is driven by high demand for flights to Auckland for Coldplay concerts, as well as a peak week for student travel across the country,” Carr shared.
Air New Zealand expects to serve over 230,000 customers on its domestic network throughout the week. To accommodate the demand, the airline added 3,550 seats across 22 additional flights in and out of Auckland around the concert dates. Carr mentioned that Friday, November 15, is projected to be the busiest day, with close to 40,000 passengers expected.
Coldplay is bringing its “Music of the Spheres” tour to Eden Park in Auckland this week, with three shows on November 13, 15, and 16. This will be the first time the band has performed in New Zealand since 2016. Coldplay made history by announcing a third show in the New Zealand leg of their tour, becoming the first artist to play three consecutive nights at Eden Park.
According to a report by the Herald, domestic flight bookings to Auckland have nearly doubled this week as Kiwis flock to the “City of Sails” for Coldplay’s concerts. Data from Webjet shows that bookings to Auckland between November 12 and 16 increased by 87% compared to the same week in 2023.
The Impact of Coldplay on Tourism
The surge in flight and hotel bookings driven by Coldplay’s concert highlights the power of cultural events to stimulate tourism. Katrina Barry, CEO of Webjet Group, commented, “Coldplay’s concert has sparked a travel boom to Auckland, showing the influence cultural events can have on the tourism industry.”
Not only has this created opportunities for airlines and hotels, but Coldplay’s concert has also enhanced Auckland’s reputation as a vibrant cultural destination. With thousands of fans flocking from all over, the event has become more than just a concert; it’s a cultural phenomenon, bringing excitement and joy to the entire city.
